Specifications

Keywords

Editors Note

Note

When Bob (Garrett M. Brown) and Cindy Russell (Elaine Bromka) have to leave town for a family emergency, they are left with no alternative but to call in Bob's brother, Buck (John Candy), to baby-sit. A jobless, lifelong bachelor with a heart of gold, Buck hardly seems the ideal baby-sitter. Charged with caring for his smart-mouthed teenage niece, Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly), and her two outspoken younger siblings, Maisy (Gaby Hoffman) and Miles (Macaulay Culkin), Buck finds himself learning how to survive in suburbia and parent at the same time. At first Buck doesn't even know how many times a day to feed the dog, much less the kids. He battles the washing machine and sends Miles to school with an utterly inedible bag lunch. But little by little Buck begins to take his responsibility seriously, putting the needs of his nieces and nephew before his own, earning their love and respect. With any luck, his newfound familial instincts will help him win back his estranged girlfriend, Chanice (Amy Madigan), who is tired of his refusal to commit to marriage. Directed by John Hughes (SIXTEEN CANDLES, THE BREAKFAST CLUB), this film was shot in various Illinois locations.

Plot Summary

Summary

John Candy stars as the gruff but warmhearted Uncle Buck, a ne'er-do-well lug forced into the role of baby-sitter while the parents of his three young nieces and nephews are away attending to a sick family member. Unused to domestic duties, Buck has his hands full looking after sassy teenager Tia and her rambunctious younger siblings, Maizy and Miles. Between battles with uncooperative household appliances, Buck tries to prevent Tia from engaging in sexual activity with her horny boyfriend Bug while, at the same time, attempting to win back his own estranged lady love.

Reviews

New York Times

"...Uncle Buck is a breath of fresh air....The cast is good...[but it's Candy who] gives the film what heft it has..." 08/16/1989 p.C13